Classic Homemade Eggnog (2024)

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ByBrandie December 2, 2021December 2, 2023

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A classic holiday tradition, this easy Homemade Eggnog recipe is a tasty drink that you’ll enjoy sipping on at all your get togethers!

A CLASSIC HOLIDAY DRINK

Are you an Eggnog lover? I know people are firmly in one camp or another. You either love it or hate it, right? I absolutely adore eggnog! I can’t help but think of Clark Griswold when making this. I think I need to find some moose cups – ha! Now I know you can practically buy any and all kinds of this at the store, but nothing beats homemade and you don’t have to wait for it to be “in season” to drink it. So if you are looking for a special (non-alcoholic) drink to make this holiday season, then you need to make my Homemade Eggnog recipe!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What does it mean to “temper” eggs?

The main tip for this recipe to be successful is to properly temper the eggs so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs. Adding a small amount of the hot milk mixture at a time into the egg yolks and whisking quickly will prevent curdling of the eggs. No one wants curdled eggs in their drink, right?

Is eggnog safe to drink?

Yes! It is perfectly safe to drink if you follow the directions and use a food thermometer. This is why the drink is heated to 160F degrees to ensure that any possible bacteria is killed off by the heat. If you have any concerns, try using pasteurized eggs. Also, it is important to keep any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator.

What is eggnog called in the UK?

Posset. Believe it or not, even though we think of eggnog as an American drink, it actually was inspired by the English drink, posset. Posset is basically considered a “milk punch” or “egg milk punch” mixed with spices and alcohol. However, you’ll find that these days many Britons will now refer to it as eggnog.

What alcohol is in eggnog?

Rum is the traditional alcohol added to eggnog. Make this recipe a spiked eggnog by whisking in ½ cup of dark rum, brandy or bourbon to the cooled eggnog. Note that bourbon will be the strongest so maybe start with less than ½ cup and add more to taste.

How do I store eggnog?

Eggnog can be stored in the refrigerator either in a pitcher covered in plastic wrap or a mason jar for up to 3-4 days. With alcohol, the eggnog can be stored for up to 1 week. Eggnog is not recommended to be frozen.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

egg yolks
granulated sugar
whole milk
heavy cream
ground nutmeg
ground cinnamon
cinnamon stick
vanilla extract
extra ground cinnamon and nutmeg for garnish, optional

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE EGGNOG:

Separate egg yolks and place them in a medium sized bowl. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until they are light and creamy in texture.

Add milk, cream, nutmeg, ground cinnamon and the cinnamon stick to a medium sized saucepan or dutch oven and bring to a low simmer on medium-high heat.

Once the milk mixture has reached a low simmer add ¼ cup of the hot milk to the beaten egg yolks whisking quickly to temper the eggs. Continue this process until about half of the milk mixture has been incorporated with the yolks.

Transfer the tempered egg mixture back to the pot and continue to cook on medium heat until the mixture reaches 160F degrees. Remove from the heat.

Stir in the vanilla extract and remove the cinnamon stick. Allow the mixture to cool for about 1 hour and then refrigerate in a large mason jar or serving pitcher until fully cool, about 1 more hour. You can also refrigerate overnight.

Serve in small glasses or mugs with a dusting of cinnamon, nutmeg or both and enjoy!

WANT MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? YOU MUST TRY THESE!

Instant Pot Eggnog
Eggnog Pudding
Egg Nog Mini Cheesecakes
Eggnog Poke Cake
Spiked Hot Chocolate
Crock Pot Creamy Hot Chocolate

Homemade Eggnog

A classic holiday tradition, this easy Homemade Eggnog is a tasty drink that you'll enjoy sipping on at all your get togethers!

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Chill Time:: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Author: Brandie @ The Country Cook

Ingredients

▢ 6 large egg yolks
▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
▢ 2 cups whole milk
▢ 1 cup heavy cream
▢ ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ 1 cinnamon stick
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ extra ground cinnamon and/or nutmeg, for garnish

Instructions

Separate egg yolks and place them in a medium sized bowl. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until they are light and creamy in texture.
Add milk, cream, nutmeg, ground cinnamon and the cinnamon stick to a medium sized saucepan or dutch oven and bring to a low simmer on medium high heat.
Once the milk mixture has reached a low simmer add ¼ cup of the hot milk to the beaten egg yolks whisking quickly to temper the eggs. Continue this process until about half of the milk mixture has been incorporated with the yolks.
Transfer the tempered egg mixture back to the pot and continue to cook on medium heat until the mixture reaches 160F degrees. Remove from the heat.
Stir in the vanilla extract and remove the cinnamon stick. Allow the mixture to cool for about 1 hour and then refrigerate in a large mason jar or serving pitcher until fully cool, about 1 more hour. You can also refrigerate overnight.
Serve in small glasses or mugs with a dusting of cinnamon, nutmeg or both and enjoy!

Notes

This can easily be doubled or tripled for holiday parties.
Spike it with various alcohols, see my tips above.

Course: Beverages

Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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